Brad,
Why did you write this?
Brian
My previous comment is sort of a joke.
I just find it amusing that you are still teaching and leading us through your writing even though you have stepped out of teaching and leading.
It seem that it's in your heart and it's a gift that God is continuing to use...and I'm glad.
Thanks for everything,
Brian
I am not saying that teaching isn't important. I think it is and I obviously believe in teaching as a spiritual gift to be nurtured. BUT I am speaking of the ambition for status in the hierarchy that a hierarchical structure creates (at least in sinners like me)
A profoundly astute article, Brad.
I think the day is coming when we're going to take our pastors down off the pedestal and actually welcome them into our congregations. And our pastors will love us for it.
I want to say that many of the things you said had me written all over it.I'm a 'christian' but constantly in sexual sin. I've seen that this kind of sin is especifically hard to confess and be 100% open about. I haven't been able to confess to anybody face to face, God knows i need to. I won't change unless i humble myslef and this is the most dificult part. I'm a sinner that hides his sin. It's sad. Please pray for me.
Thanks
Camilo,
We have a saying, "Sow truth into the pot". Take the leap. Truth and humility is contagious.
Radical. Maybe that's not the correct word since my gut agrees with you and off the top of my head I can't think of anything from the new testament that contradicts what you are proposing. What about the old testament? God seems to be constantly needing to raise up leaders. Did something change with Jesus and his life, death and resurrection? Are we just misinterpreting what is happening in the old testament? Is it related to the Holy Spirit?
Off the top of my head...
1. Yes it is all about the fulness of the Holy Spirit in the church as opposed to the limited access to the Spirit in the OT. I do not know the nuance of the theology of this but in practical terms God said He would in the New Covenant change the hearts of the people from stone and from the heart we would all become obedient. Thus the necessity for law and legal authroity to rule through heavy handed governement is unnessasary in the church as we mature.
2. having kings has never been a good idea in God's eyes.
blessings,
Interesting article.
It all comes back to heart doesn't it. It isn't the labels or even others. It is our hearts that are the issue.
If we see in our labels and what they mean before others something that is only righteously the Lords, then it is wrong.
If however, we have no need of labels and that which they seem to mean before man, yet others continue to place said labels upon us or we even continue to do what said labels seem to identify functionally, it is alright.
Again the issue primarily isn't the labels themselves, it is the hearts of those who seek the labels, have the labels or even of those who need to have people with certain labels in their lives.
I am not so sure that labels in themselves was what the Lord Jesus was concerned about. After all He accepted the label of Christ, Savior, Son of God, Son of Man, the Word, etc. He was our example in the earth as the Christ of God.
No, I agree witht he Reformation Bible Notes on this text (Matt 23:10), "His (Jesus) warning is against the temptation to accord human leaders the authority and perogatives that belong to God alone-a temptation here exemplified by the use of pretentious forms of address".
Paul had, accepted and even defended his label, role and identity of Apostle.
Again the issue remains, an issue of the heart of man and not primarily labels.
Blessings in Christ Jesus!
I really enjoyed your post. I think there are many people beginning to question the way we 'do' church these days, examining if it's really Biblical.
I also long for the day when the pastors are part of the congregation. Sometimes it seems it's the pastors who resist being part of us common people, a great lesson to remember if ever we are in a 'position' of leadership.
I think what stands out to me as the real problem in the ladder of ministry success is lack of humility and love for each other. Somehow the church has begun to resemble the business world more than the kingdom of God, and what is considered profitable in the business world is very different than what is considered profitable in God's kingdom.
May the Holy Spirit meet you and pour out his grace on you as you humble yourself before him.
I believe I caught the "heart" of your post... however... there ARE a few NT Scriptures that bear mentioning...
Paul (In 1 Corinthians 4:15 and Philippians 2:22) uses the title "father" in relation to his converts.
John also uses it to describe himself (implicitly) and others (explicitly) in the church in 1 John 2:1, 13-14
As I see it, the early church did not understand Jesus' instructions here as prohibiting addressing spiritual elders as "fathers" and establishing instead an egalitarian anarchy. In fact, a family environment fostered such terminology.
The context clearly does not prohibit use of these words for people in different offices. Rather, Jesus is saying not to treat the Pharisees, teachers of the law, or any other person as the ULTIMATE TEACHER on the law, to the point of giving them honor and allegiance that is due only to God.
In this sense, it makes more sense to me that Jesus was not "deconstructing" the authority he has already delegated to his apostles (Matthew 16:18-19, and 18:1
.
What is more crucial than use of "titles" is the attitude of humility and servanthood, for even in groups (or individuals) that forbid such titles can lurk the vices of prideful arrogance and presumption on the power of God.
Matthew 20:25-28 certainly does not support the view that no honor be accorded in the church. It simply reiterates Jesus' world-shaking dictum that in His kingdom the servant is the greatest.
In next to last paragraph...
second scripture in Matthew 18:18.
(Sorry, i must have been smiling 
This post is monumental. In our house church community in Norway, we have teached according to this for a while. But I think you are doing a great job with your reflections, which will be read with great interest by my siblings in Norway!
God bless you!
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